"Delay in follow-up appointments after procedures"

I see a Urologist, every six months to check my PSA levels.

I had an MRI scan in October 2015 and was due an appointment around the end of the year.

I received no follow-up appointment for my results so I contacted the hospital to arrange this.

After three or four phone calls I finally received an appointment for 4 April 2016 - some six months after the MRI scan.

However at the end of March I received a letter to say this appointment was cancelled and another appointment had been made for 4 July 2016.

I was unhappy with this and I contacted the Urologist's secretary direct.

They were in agreement that this was completely unsatisfactory and arranged an earlier appointment, 9 May.

At this appointment it transpires that I need to have an invasive biopsy and this has been given priority notice.

So it now transpires that because of your inefficient administration I did not receive the results until 7 months after my scan, and have to have surgery, the results of which I should have received a few weeks after the scan in October 2015.

Should there be any adverse findings in this biopsy it would mean that this delay could be to the detriment to my general health.

This is not the first time I have had delays in my appointments or appointments being cancelled and/or changed.

After an earlier biopsy a couple of years ago, I again had to wait for an appointment some six months afterwards.

I am very disappointed with the follow-up of these hospital investigations, surely a patient should receive the results within a reasonable time.

Obviously I am now concerned as to the outcome of this latest biopsy and the delay which occurred in the follow up appointment is totally unacceptable.